How to Paint Press Board Kitchen Cabinets

Press board kitchen cabinets are inexpensive and easy to install. These cabinets are typically coated with a vinyl or wooden veneer for better durability and a polished aesthetic. However, vinyl and wooden cabinet surfaces are difficult to paint. Vinyl veneer is inherently nonporous and slick, and most wood veneer is coated with high-gloss varnish. These factors make it difficult for fresh paint to stick to the smooth surface. When painting press board kitchen cabinets, you need to follow some specific steps for optimal results.

Things You'll Need

Wood glue

Cotton swab

C-clamp

Screwdriver

Painter's tape

Bonding primer or general-purpose primer

Paintbrush

Paint roller

High-gloss latex paint

Foam brush

Foam roller

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Repair any peeling veneer using wood glue. Apply the glue with a cotton swab and secure the peeling veneer with a C-clamp. Do not remove the clamp or proceed with the next step until the glue is completely dry.

Remove cabinetry hardware. In most cases, you can remove hardware with a screwdriver.

Protect trim and wall surfaces with painter's tape.

Prime veneered press board surfaces with bonding primer or use general-purpose primer on unfinished press board kitchen cabinets. Veneer surfaces are too slick to paint over, and sanding will damage the veneer, but bonding primer provides a porous, paintable surface. Apply either type of primer with a paintbrush for corners and paint roller for larger cabinetry sections.

Consult the primer container to see how long the primer should set. This is especially important with bonding primer, since the primer may be dry to the touch several hours before it fully cures. Do not proceed until the primer is completely cured.

Paint the cabinets using high-gloss latex paint. High-gloss finishes are durable and easy to clean, making them ideal for press board kitchen cabinets. Unfortunately, high-gloss paint is more prone to leaving visible brush marks. Use a foam brush and foam roller to reduce brush marks.

Remove the painter's tape and reattach the hardware after 24 hours.

References

“Home Repair that Pays Off”; Hector Seda; 2009

“Room for Improvement”; Barbara Kavovit; 2005

“Stanley Complete: Complete Painting”; Larry Johnston; 2007

“Creative Homeowner Ultimate Guide to Home Repair and Improvement”; Michael McClintock and John Wagner; 2006